Process for obtaining an artificial thread of a fluffy character



AM 13, 1937. M, ALBERT zmmsv.

PRbCESS FOR OBTAINING AN ARTIFICIAL THREAD OF A FLUFFY CHARACTER Filed June 19, 1936 INVENTOR. I

ATTORNE Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES PROCESS FOR OBTAINING AN ARTIFICIAL THREAD OF A FLUFFY CHARACTER Jean Marie Alibert, Lyon,

France, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware,

Application June 19, 1936, Serial .No. 86,182

In France October 25, 1935 4 Claims.

This invention relates to fiufiy thread, and it pertains particularly to artificial thread having a fluffy appearance and resembling dogs hair.

Numerous processes have already been proposed 5 for obtaining artificial threads having a fiuffy character or, more accurately speaking, resembling dogs hair, that is to say, having the appearance of threads in which the hairs or filaments escape.

We have now found-that it is possible to obtain threads having a much more pronounced fiuify character than that of the threads previously manufactured by utilizing the plastic properties of certain fibers, particularly fiberswith a nitrocellulose or cellulose acetate base.

In particular, this process permits obtaining fluffy threads by fastening, on threads acting as .supports and transversally to the latter, oneor more filaments forming loops. It consists essen- 00 tially in fixing on a core composed of threads which may consist of a cellulose ester or ether base,

particularly cellulose acetate, one or more filaments which are temporarily in the plastic state and are intended to form the said loops. The plastic filament or filaments are of a cellulose ester or ether base, particularly of a cellulose acetate base. The size both of the support and of the filament may vary within wide limits.

In order to carry out the invention, we have discovered that it is possible and necessary to bring the filament or filaments intended to form the fluff into contact with the supporting threads in a swollen or partly dissolved state, so that the supporting threads and the filaments become attached to each other When they come in contact.

The necessary state of swelling, softness or dissolution may be produced by using any suitable physical or chemical agent, such as heat,

4 solvents or swelling agents; each of these agents may be used alone or several may be used simultaneously. Furthermore, if necessary, pressure may be used in order to complete the attaching of the filaments, which is started in the swollen 45 or partlydissolved state.

The swelling or softening agent which we will also call the attaching agent, may either be carried by'the threads themselves, or may be intro duced independently.

50 In the first case, the thread and filament or filaments to be fastened together may .be brought into contact during the spinning operation when either or both are not as yet freed of their solvent.

If it is a question of cellulose acetate threads, they 55 will still be impregnated with acetone or another solvent; if it is a question of nitrocellulose, they will still be impregnated with acetone or a solvent mixture such as ether-alcohol.

In the second case, just before bringing them into contact, one or more of the threads orfila- -5 ments may be passed over a moistening device which contains a solvent or swelling agent for the two threads to be fastened together.

Furthermore, the threads and filaments to be fastened together while in contact with each other 1 may be passed into an atmosphere sufiiciently charged with the attachingagent that they are softened and glued together at the operating temperature. f

Finally, threads may be used which contain 15 a plasticizer and which at the moment when they come into contact with each other, are brought to. such a temperature that they glue together. For this purpose dry threads with a cellulose acetate base may be used as core, and as fluff a cellulose acetate thread impregnated with a substance which is a non-solvent when cold but which when heated becomes a solvent, such as for example benzyl alcohol. In this case, the external agent is a moderate source of heat, insuificient for causing the cellulose acetate to melt even partly, but under the influence of which the benzyl alcohol will become a'solvent of this acetate.

It is preferred that the base or supporting threads be twisted together during the process of 30 forming the composite thread.

The entire apparatus may be kept in a closed casing which may be ventilated for solvent recovery. This ventilation may also be regulated in order to maintain a sufficient solvent concentra- 3r tion for gluing in the atmosphere within the inclosure.

When, by applying this process, a shaggy thread has been obtained, in which the fiufi is in the form of loops, the latter may very well be cut or 40 tom to obtain a shaggy or dog hair thread.

The products obtained by the present process may naturally be dyed. They may also be transformed partly or completely into regenerated cellulose either by saponification or by denitration.

In the description the use of cellulose ester or ether as support has been mentioned. The invention may be carried out perfectly by using a thread of any other nature such as of regenerated cellulose, cotton, wool or natural silk in place of a thread of cellulose ester or ether; in this case, however, the adherence between the filaments forming the fluff and the support is not as perfect unless a special rather complicated and difficult I swelling processis used. 4

The attached drawing represents, merely as an example, an apparatus with which the process may be carried out.

Figure 1 is a schematic view in perspective of the apparatus, and

Figure 2 is a view showing different stages of the process.

In the illustration B is a spindle revolving at a certain speed around its shaft: for example 800 R. P. M. This spindle holds a circular plate P provided with several points; for example 3. Fastened to these points are any kind of supports, tubes, cops, etc., permitting backwinding by overend unwinding. On these supports cellulose acetate thread is wound: 200 deniers, 36 filaments, for example.

Opposite each point, fastened to spindle B and represented schematically on the drawing by the part Q are a thread stretcher and thread guide. After passing over these two parts, 3 threads coming from three cops pass into a ring A placed in the axis of the spindle, and then to a winding device G operating at 20 meters per minute.

Let us start G and B. The three threads being wound back and twisted simultaneously will form 3 generatrices of a cone having A as a summit and Q, Q, Q" as a base.

Let us consider 3 planes P, P', P" as cutting the cone at 3 different points perpendicular to its axis.

In the first of these planes P, let us place a spinneret F the single hole of which delivers into this plane a collodion jet formed of 22 parts cellulose acetate, 15 parts ethyl alcohol and '73 parts acetone, which falls to x.

As the cone turns the jet will wind around the cone or more accurately on the 3 generatrices produced by the 3 threads, and not as yet being dry, it ,will stick to them.

Since at the same time, these 3 threads move toward A, the thread will wind in a spiral :c, :c', :c" and while it is stretched in plane P, it will slacken in plane P, a little more in plane P", and finally after twisting in plane P', the 3 lengths of filament will have formed 3 loops; these different stages of the process are represented in Figure 2.

Since the spinneret may have as many holes as desired the number of hairs may be regulated, that is to say, the boucl or shaggy efiect.

It goes without saying that the loops may be left as they are or they may be cut open by passage into a suitable cutting machine.

I claim:

1. The process which comprises twisting two or more cellulose threads about a' cone generated by the threads during twisting, extruding cellulose derivative filaments and depositing said filaments on said threads between the base and apex of said cone while effecting an adhesion between the filaments and threads.

2. The process which comprises twisting two or more cellulosic threads about a cone generated by the threads during twisting, spinning cellulose acetate filaments by a dry spinning process, and depositing said filaments on said threads between .the base and apex of said cone while eflecting an adhesion between said filaments and said threads.

3. The process of claim 2 characterized in that the adhesion between said threads and said filaments is effected by virtue of residual solvent insaid filaments.

4. The process of claim 2 characterized in that the adhesion between said threads and said filaments is effected by virtue of residual solvent in said filaments, said threads being comprised of cellulose. acetate.

JEAN MARIE ALIBER'I. 

